Improved spirit metee and sepaeatoe



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ISAAC l). TICE, OF NEV YORK, N. Y. Letters Patent No. 63,334, 'ciated/farch 2G, 1867.

IMPROVED SPIRIT METER AND SEFARATOB.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERNS Be it known that I, ISAAC P. TICE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Spirit Meter and Separator., and that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact specification of the same, wherein I have set forth the nature and principles of my said improvements, by which my invention may be distinguished from all others of a similar class, together with such parts as I claim and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent.

This invention relates to a new and improved spirit meterrand separator, designed for use in distilleries, for the purpose of enabling Government oilcials to ascertain with positive accuracythe amount of whiskey or other spirits distilled therein, and at the same time ell'eet a separation of the proof from the low-grade spirits, as revenue is rated and paid on proof spirits or that having a grade of 50 by hydrometer. f

The object of the invention is to prevent thestupendous frauds now perpetrated on the part of a large number of distillers against the Government, false returns being 4rendered on the amount of spirits distilled.

Myoinvention is connected with they discharge end of the worm of a still, and is so constructed and arranged as to measure or weigh the spirits and separate the low from the high grade during the process of distillation, all the parts being under lockand key and placed beyond the reach of the distiller, so that the device cannot be tampered with and made to give an inaccurate account to the oiiicial of the amount of spirits distilled. In the accompanying sheet of drawings- Figure 1 is a side sectional View of my invention, taken in the line z x, fig. 3.

Figure 2, a side view of the same. A

Figure 3, a plan or top View of .the same.

Figure 4, a detached and enlarged vertical section of a part pertaining to the same, taken in the line yy, tig. 5.

Figure 5, a horizontal section of iig. 4, taken in the line e e.'

Figure 6, a longitudinal section of a sealed er locked cock pertaining to my invention.

Figure T, a vertical section of a part pertaining to the same, taken in the linee z', g. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the discharge end of the worm of a still, which extends from the refrigerator, and is curved downward and then upward into a receiver, 13, on the top of which there is secured a glass cylinder, C, arranged in such a manner that it may be locked and the contents of the receiver placed beyond the reach of the distiller. In the upper end of A a hydrometer, D, is placed, the glass cylinder C admitting of it being seen, and within C there is a plunger, E, the stem or rod of which passes through the cover of C to allow the plunger to be raised and lowered to wipe the inner surface of C and keep itA clean, so that the hydrorneter may always be plainly visible. This will be fully understood by referring to iig. 4. The spirit overflows from the end of A into the receiver 13, and is conducted therefrom into a receptacle, F, by a pipe, G, (see figs. 1, 2, and 1I is a branch pipe, which leads from A above its bend into the receiver B, as shown in figs. 1, 2, and 4. Within the receptacle F there is placed a wheel, I, provided with ratchet-shaped teeth, and having a spring, J, bearing upon it. This wheel and spring constitute an alarm, and when steamor gaseous vapor or the contents of the still are driven through Gr the wheel I will be rotated and the sound produced by the spring J notify the attendant or distiller, who will immediately open a cock'in an escape pipe communicating with the still and allow thevapor to pass off. The usual plan is to have an escape pipe near the end of the worin, but this I dispense with, as spirits might `be drawn oi by the insertion of a siphon therein. The bend ofA will be filled with spirits, but' above the bend there is a moderate drip only during the process of distillation, and hence, when there is a blow or an excess of gaseous vapor in the still, said vapor will-pass through the branch pipe and escape pipe H into the receiver B. This prevents the hydrometer being forced out of the end of A, causing it to indicate correctly the grade of the spirits during the whole process of distillation'. The receptacle F is provided with a cover, K, through which an opening, a, is made, having acap, 15, over it with open sidesto admit of the escape of the air or gaseous vapor impelled into F. By this meansa sinuous passage is obtained for the air or vapor while the condensed or liquid products of distillation are retained in F- or prevented 'from escaping therefrom. The receptacle F is placed within a shallow box, L, supported on twovuprights, aX ax, and having an oblong slot, c, in its bottom, about at the centre, over which slot o, a valve, M, works, the stem ol of which is pivoted to one end of a beam, N, tted cem trally on a pivot or knife edge in the upper part of an upright, O, the opposite end of the beam N having a n pendent bar, P, pivoted to it, the lower end of which is rounded, as shown at e, passes through the outer end of a scale frame, Q, and has a nut, f, on its lower end underneath the scale frame. In the inner or opposite end of the scale frame Q there is suspended on pivots g, placed centrally at each end, a partially rotating box or meter, R. This box or meter is ofi quadrilateral form, and'is divided into two equal compartments h hf by an oblique ordiagonal partition, z', as shown clearly in fig. 1, the outer edge of z having a weight or counterpoise, j', attached. 4To one of the uprights a which supports the box L there is attached a pin, k, the latter projecting horizontally from the inner side of the support, and from one end or side of the box or meter R two pins l l project horizontally. These pins are in lines radial with the end or side of the box or meter and at right angles with each other; and said pins! l', in conncction with the pin c of the upright ax, form stops and determine the tilting or rotating movement of the box or meter, the pin lstopping the movement of R when turning or tilting in the direction indicated by arrow 1, and the other pin, Z', performing the same function when the box or meter is turning in the opposite direction, as indicated by arrow 2, (see iig. 2.) v'lhe ends or sides of the box or meter are of circular form, as shown in g. 2, and the one having the pins l Z projecting from it has two notches tui-tm in itscdge, into one of` which a horizontal pin, n, extending from the upright ax, catches when the box or meter is in an elevated position, or before it becomes depressed under the weight of the spirits discharged into it. This circular end or side of the box or meter has two arms O Ol extending radially from it to actuatc a pendent or swinging trough S underneath the slot c in box L, (see gsfl and 2.) In the box L, at one corner thereof, there is a box, T, in the upper part of which .there is placed lan adjustable spout, U, and underneath this spout there is a double-inclined chute, V, and below or underneath the chute, V, there is a four-way cock, W, as shown .clearly in tig. 1. This cock W, which is a sample-taker, divides the box T into two compartments pp', into either ofkwhich the spirits may be discharged, as desired, by adjusting the spout U. Directly underneath the box T there is a chamber, X, divided into four compartments q g q gf by partition r, (see iig. 7,) and the four-way cock W has a corresponding number of transverse partitions s, while the shell t of the cock has openings u, whichform a communication between the compartments pp and the interior of the shell t, as shown olearlyin tig; 1, and each compartment c of the cock communicates with a compartment in the chamber X. The spirit which passes into the compartmentspp is conveyed into different compartments in the chamber X; that, for instance, iup passes into g g, and that in pinto g g. The double-inclined chute V admits the spirits into the compartmentspp through small apertures w w, the excess passing off the ends of V into box L. The compartments g q q g' are simply for samples,and receive a portion of spirits at each movement of the box or meter' R, and the cpck W is moved by a lever, Y, theupper end of which is connected to a crank, a', at oneend of the cock, the opposite end being provided with a pin, t', which is fitted in a earn-groove, c', in the circular end or side of the box or meter R, (see iig. 2.) Z is a receiver, into which thcbox or meter R discharges its contents, and underneath one end ofthe receiver Z there are two chambers AIAZ, into either ofwhich the spirits may be discharged from Z by means of nn adjustable spout, BX, as shown in iig. 1. B1 B2 are pipes which lead from the chambers A1A, 'and communicate with a discharge pipe, C, which is provided with a sealed or locked cock, D.' This cock D' has its spigot or plug d secured in its tube e by means of a pin,f, (see tig. 6,) `the pin f passing into agroove, g', made circumferentially in the spigot, and preventing the latter being removed. The whole of the above'- described apparatus, with the exception of the receiver B and glass cylinder (l, is enclosed within a double- `walled case, CX, the upper portion of which is shown removed or broken away, a dead-air space being allowed between the walls in order to prev-cnt the temperature within the case descending below the freezing point, a

contingency which might cause low-grade spirits to congeal in the meter or other receptacles of the dev-ice it the latter belloft inoperative for any length of time. The spirits pass from the receptacle F through a pipe, FX, into the spout U, and is allowed, by adjusting the spout U, to pass either into the compartmentp or p', according to the grade of the spirits which is given by the hydrometer D. This spout is adjusted by the distiller or any employe'. A small portion of the spirits passes through the. apertures w w in the chute V intocompartmentsp erp', while the excess passes oil` from the ends ot' the chute into box L, and thence through the slot c into one of the compartments z or 7a ofthe box or meter R, which, before the compartment receives the requisite quantity, is kept in an elevated state by the superior gravity of the outer part of' the scale frame Q, the box or meter being prevented from tilting or turning in consequence of the pin n being in the notch m or m in the edge of the circular end or side of the box or meter, and in consequence of the outer end of the scale frame Q being down the valve M is kept open or in an elevated position, sothat the spirits may pass from box L into the meter, and when the meter is receiving the spirits the swinging trough S is kept at one side by the arm o oro. When the compartment h or z is nearly filled with spirits the inner part of the scale frame-will vgradually descend, and as the outer part gradually rises the valve M, owing' to a play allowed the rounded part c of P, will fall and cover the slot c so that there will be'but a slight drip from l. This closing of the vvalve occurs before the notch in thel end of the side of the box or meter leaves the pin n, and th'e completion of tlic v filling of the compartment in the meter is due to the drip, the vulve not being allowed to close the slot c s'uiiiciently tight to prevent that result. By this arrangement the spirits wil-l be measured or weighed with accuracy. The meter, at the completion ofthe filling of its compartment, reaches a point suiliciently low t'o escape the pin u, and then makes a quarter rcrolulion, being stopped at that point by the pin Z o.' l coming in contact with the pin k on the upright ax, and the contents of the meter are discharged into the receiver Z. As soon as the meter is thus emptied it rises and becomes locked in position by the notch m or m receiving thev pixmt, and the valve M, opening under the descent ot' the outer part ol' the scale frame AQ, the other compartment of the meter is there filled and the contents discharged as before, The number of turns or movements-oi' the meter R are recorded by an index, bx, on a dial, cX, the index being moved by any suitable mechanism from the meter. During the turning of the meter theswinging trough S is allowed to drop to a vertical position in lorder to catch the drip, and at the completion of each turning movement the said trough isturned aside by the arm o or o', and the contents of the trough discharged into the meter. At each turning movement of the meter Athe cock W is turned and the compartments in X supplied with high or low-grade spirits, as the case may be'. Two compartments for each grade of spirits are used in order that two di'erent oiicials mayinspect the samples, one being a check upon the other, said compartments being provided with locked cocks G. As the cock W is moved at each turning ot' the meter it will be seen that the contents of the compartments g g will beof the precise gradeas the Whole amount which' passes through the meter. @Che pipe C is designed to lead into a receiver, locked, so that its contents ivill not be accessible to the distiller or any of his employes, and as the spigot or plug of the cock D is locked, there is no possible way in which fraud can be practised without breaking some of the pipe connections or tapping the pipes, which would, of course, exhibit fraud. The spout U on, the chute V and the spout BX over the chambers AI A2 are adjusted simultaneously by having the cranks @ZX on their shafts connected by a bar, E,the shafts of the lower spout BX having a lever, F', at its end, (see more, particularly tig. 2.) i' I Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desi-re to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The receiver B provided with a locked or sealed transparent cap or cover C, when used in connection with a branch pipe, H, communicating with the receiver, the worm A and air-discharge openings, substantially as and for the purpose setrforth.`

'2. A tilting or partially rotating meter R, arranged With or 'applied to a scale frame Q, to operate substantially in the manner as and for the purpose specified. i

3. A valve, M, connected with and operated by the scale frame Q when used in connection with the'meter R, and arranged to work conjointly therewith, substantially as shown and described.

4. The pin n on upright ax, in cornbinatiou with the `notches m m in the circular end of the meter R, for the purpose of holding the meter in position whilebeing filled, as set forth.

5. The pin c on upright LIX, in combination with the pins ZpZron the end of the meter, to serve as steps to determine the quarter revolution of the meter, as set forth.

.6. The many-chambered or four-way cock W arranged in connection with samplefchambers g q g g', and operated from the meter or other movable 'partof the device for the purpose specified.

7. The Weight or counterpoiseg, applied to the meter R in, combination with the scale frame Q, as shown and described.

8. The adjustable spouts U BX connected by a bar, E', or its equivalent, so as to be operated simultane ously, as shown and described.

9. I claim discharging theiair from a still into a. receiver having a sinuous passage, substantiallyas shown in cover K for the egress and ingress of air, as set forth. A

10. A locked or sealed cock,-D, when used in combination with a meter, R, for the purpose specified. 11. The combination of the pipe or end A of the Worm vrith the receiver B and pipe H, substantially as described.

12. The wiper or plunger within the transparent cap, cover, lor cylinder C, arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

13. The alarm, composed of the wheel and spring or click J, or their equivalents, when arranged so as to be operated by the air or gaseous vapor or contents of the still, substantially as shcivn 'and described.

14. A case, CX, constructed with double walls, or in any other manuel', when said case is used with or encloses a meter, for the purpose of preventing the freezing of the contents of the same, as set forth.

15. A meter in combination vwith a sealed transparent receiver, substantially as and for the purpose specified. 16. The combination of a meter, transparent receiver, and a locked or sealed cock, for the purpose specified. 17. The adjustable spout U, in combination with the cock W, substantially as and for the purpose set forth i ISAAC P. TICE.

Witnesses WiLDEAn OvnnnLL, WM. F. McNAMAnA. 

